Today was utter chaos. And I do not like chaos, especially since I'm the one who is supposed to be 'in charge,' whatever that means? My school keeps trying to have detention after school EACH day a student does not turn in homework, which is understandable..if you don't do your homework at home, you have to stay after school to complete it. My big problem with this after school detention is that when detention is over at 4:15 the students have to find some where to 'hang out' until the bus comes at 5:00 (because most of the students ride the bus home). This is when things get a little hairy. I run the after school program which lasts until 6. We have a bus at 5 and at 6, so of course all the detention students are going to come to my program so they can ride the 5:00 bus home. But the real question is, what am I supposed to do with over 100 students who are forced to stay after school to do their homework?! Plus, my program is something the students are supposed to WANT to do, not something they are FORCED to do. I don't want to go into much detail, I just wanted to simply vent. It is not the school's, teacher's, or administrator's job to make sure a student has completed his/her homework. By the 7th/8th grade students should have developed some personal responsibility, but that is not true in many cases. Personal responsibility is not a lesson that can be forced onto a person, it must be taught by example, but unfortunately the families in America are not always the best teaching tool. I hear people complaining about how the education system is broken and failing, but from what I've observed in public schools, it is not the education system that is broken, it is the families in America that are broken.
I have big dreams and goals for my program. Most of my kids don't get to do a lot of things offered in my program outside of school because of the cost (soccer teams, ceramics, rocketry, cake decorating, etc.) I hope that my program keeps getting better. Days like today make it hard to see progress. I'm praying for the best and hoping God will use me in my position to love on the kids and show his light.
On a lighter note, Bruce and I went to Cowboy Country (also known as Ft. Worth) this past weekend! Two words: Texas Steak. Pictures and more to come!
Brett, have you read The Fundamentals of Poverty by Ruby Payne? I'm reading it right now, and your post is exactly what the book is talking about. You might want to check it out.
ReplyDeleteYou're doing a great job!!
Beth, I'm reading it right now! A co-worker passed it along to me. I'll let you know what I think the further I get into. Hope your doing well:) Loved your pictures from Guffey Acres!
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